Eodolphe claughton



(No Model.)

B. OLAUGHTON.

FURNITURE OASTER.

310,363,047; Patented May 17', 1887.

- WITNESSES M W14 6% ll'nrrnn drains Parent rricn.

RODOLPHE CLAUGHTON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FURNITURE CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,047, dated May 17, 1887.

Application filed September 20, 1886. Serial No. 214,053. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RODOLPHE CLAUGH- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in furniture-casters, the object in view being to secure the shank, or that portion of the caster which extends into the furniture, securely against becoming loose and working out and against rotation in either direction, which in time has the effect of wearing away the wood.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding feature. Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of my improved device, showing the same applied to a chair-leg; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof.

The letter A designates a chair-leg or other portion of an article of furniture, the device being applicable as well to tables, beds,'bureaus, &c., as to chairs. The leg or other article is bored to receive a metallic socket, B, the exterior whereof is provided with a screwthread (either a left-hand or a right-hand thread) for the greater portion of its length. This socket is constructed, preferably, of iron, and may be either cast or spun or otherwise formed, and is provided with a shoulder, C, secured in any convenient manner, or integrally made therewith. The periphery of this shoulder is preferably of angular form, so as to afford a shape upon which a wrench can be readily fitted. The socket is secured into the article of furniture, the threads thereon cutting their way into the wood until the shoulder is brought firmly against the article of furniture. The projecting portion of the socket is smooth, and upon it is fitted a hub, D, of the yoke E, in which is mounted a casterroller, F. This hub is free to turn on the socket, so as to allow the roller to follow the direction in which the furniture is moved.

The letter G designates a screw, the thread of which is cut in a reverse direction to the thread upon the socket, and this screw is inserted through the spindle, the head forming a stop to prevent the hub D from displacement, while the threads 011 the screw engage the wood of the article of furniture and draw the head firmly against the end of the socket. It will be-observed that by this arrangement the connection between the caster and the article of furniture is very strong and that the possibility of the spindles working loose in the furniture is practically precluded.

The eccentricity between the line of the weight and the axis of the roller causes the hub of the yoke D in casters generally to bite or grip more or less strongly the socket upon which it is mounted, with a tendency to turn the socket.

Once the socket is started, however slightly, it is not long before it becomes loose, resulting in splitting the article of furniture or in dropping out when the article is moving. In this instance, however, any tendency to turn the socket in one direction is resisted by the threads of the socket, or only results in screwing the socket farther into the furniture and binding the shoulder more strongly against the article, while any tendency to turn it in the other direction is resisted by the screw G, the tendency of such action being to farther project the screw into the article.

The device is simple, and easily applied and detached when occasion requires.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A caster having a socket with a screw-thread in one direction and a holdingscrew having a thread in the other direction and adapted to bind against the sock et,whereby the socket is locked against rotation in either direction.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RODOLPHE CLAUGHTON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN L. BRADFORD, E. L. WHITE. 

